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Need-to-knows
- iPhone 17 is a brilliant all-rounder
- iPhone 17 Pro Max is only needed if you want the best camera system
- Excellent deals to be had if you buy refurbished
Choosing the right iPhone for you shouldn’t be a difficult process. In fact, I don’t think it’s been any easier than now to pick between the various models; the release of the excellent iPhone 17 in 2025 makes it the sensible pick for most people.
But there are nuances and different things to consider to make sure you are picking the most applicable iPhone for your needs. In this guide, I’ll be running through the best iPhones for a range of use cases, from the most premium experience to the best value. Along the way, I’ll consider things like the camera systems, battery life, build quality and, of course, price to bring you some clear conclusions. Let’s get into it!
Best For Most People
iPhone 17
– Now has a ProMotion display
– Brilliant everyday camera
– Looks very stylish with new colours
Best Overall
iPhone 17 Pro Max
– 8x optical zoom is superb
– Easily get two days of battery life
– Redesigned chassis is lovely to hold and look at in Cosmic Orange
Best Entry-Level
iPhone 16e
– The cheapest new iPhone you can buy
– Only one camera lens, but it’s a solid 48MP shooter
– Well built
– Easiest route to iOS
Best Value
iPhone 16 Pro Max
– Often cheaper than buying a new iPhone 17
– Virtually the same cameras as the 17 Pro Max
Best For Most People: iPhone 17
iPhone 17
From $799/£799
✅ Pros:
– Brilliant point-and-shoot camera system
– Now has a 120Hz display
– A19 chip future-proofs you for years
❌ Cons:
– Only 2x optical zoom
The release of the new iPhone has become something of a non-event in recent years. Each iteration never really seemed like a justifiable upgrade over the previous one…until the iPhone 17 landed in 2025. Apple hasn’t done anything crazy with the latest iPhone, but what it did do suddenly made it into one of the best value-for-money smartphones on the market.
For a start, they finally gave the standard iPhone a 120Hz display, or ProMotion as they like to call it, something Android phones have had for a few years now. This was the biggest spec gap between the iPhone and other competitors, so the fact that it has now been remedied is a big tick in the iPhone 17’s favour.
You also get 256GB of memory as standard, an 18MP selfie camera and the Camera Control button, all of which you will find on the more expensive iPhone 17 Pro. The A19 chip sits at the heart of the iPhone 17 and offers tons of power that you will likely never needs, but, more importantly, it also offers longevity; the iPhone 17 shouldn’t slow down anytime soon.
The iPhone 17 also looks great too, the best it has in a long while, thanks mainly to the very neat camera housing and new colourways.
Check out my full iPhone 17 review!
I say this is the best iPhone for most people because I don’t think 95% of you actually need anything more than the 17 offers. But of course, you will be ‘missing out’ on some things like the 4x optical zoom on the Pro Max (you only get 2x on the standard model), slightly longer battery life and the ability to record ProRes RAW video. But as I said, most people don’t need or want that, and the 48MP dual camera system on the iPhone 17 is excellent anyway.
Whether you can make do with the standard 17 is obviously up to you at the end of the day, but if you don’t need those Pro features, then it is absolutely the sensible way to go.
Best Overall: iPhone 17 Pro Max
iPhone 17 Pro Max
From $1399/£1199
✅ Pros:
– Comprehensive camera system
– Two-day battery life
– Looks great in Cosmic Orange
❌ Cons:
– Expensive
If you want the iPhone that tops the specs charts across the board and is literally ‘the best’ one, then look no further than the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Like the standard iPhone 17, this is a very good generation for the Pro Max iPhone. Apple significantly redesigned the chassis of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, creating the camera ‘plateau’, to great success whilst also adding the extremely fetching Cosmic Orange colour which I still love to this day.
There are other new heights reached by the 17 Pro Max too, such as the staggeringly good 8x optical zoom, Center Stage selfie camera system and the wildly powerful A19 Pro chip. That chip also brings much-needed power efficiency upgrades to draw two days of battery life from its relatively small 4832mAh capacity.
Read my full iPhone 17 Pro Max review for more
It’s the camera system, though, that really shines with this phone and should be your main motivation for buying one. The triple 48MP lenses are so comprehensive for any need that you needn’t look elsewhere, expect perhaps to the Oppo Find X9 Pro, and the ability to record ProRes RAW video is just the cherry on top.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max isn’t cheap, and there are likely better value devices out there if you shop around. But, if you just want the absolute best iPhone on offer, then this is it.
Best Entry-Level: iPhone 16e
iPhone 16e
From $599/£599
✅ Pros:
– Cheapest entry point to iOS
– Well-made and durable
– Camera is fine for everyday use
❌ Cons:
– Limited specs outside the basics
Now, I have mixed thoughts about the iPhone 16e. It is a deeply, deeply flawed device that doesn’t really represent very good value for money, especially when you consider the wealth of Android competition.
But, it is the cheapest iPhone you can buy new and therefore is the best entry-level option. And I also genuinely used it as my primary phone for about nine months in 2025 over the 16 Pro Max, so it can’t be that bad.
It isn’t, truth be told. Taken on its own, the iPhone 16e is a good phone. It’s very well made, as you’d expect from Apple, with a premium-feeling finish and some solid standard specs like the excellent A18 chip and the sort-of-useful Action Button.
More in my full iPhone 16e review!
The single camera lens is very restrictive for anyone who wants to do anything other than snap everyday photos, but it is 48MP with 2x optical zoom. Therefore, it works perfectly well as a workhorse snapper.
There are obvious limitations like the lack of 120Hz display, no extra lenses and the not-so-brilliant battery life, but if you just want a new iPhone for the lowest price possible, the 16e will suffice. I’d just also consider getting an iPhone 15 Pro second-hand for the same price instead…
Best Deal: iPhone 16 Pro Max
iPhone 16 Pro Max
From ~$650/£650
✅ Pros:
– Most of the same specs as the 17 Pro Max
– Made of Titanium
– Great cameras
❌ Cons:
– Slightly weaker battery life
If you’re willing to buy second-hand or refurbished, you can get some excellent iPhone deals. And there isn’t any reason to be scared of doing so, especially from trusted retailers like Back Market.
In truth, you could pick any iPhone from the past few years and label it the ‘best deal’, but I’m picking the iPhone 16 Pro Max. At the time of writing, you can find it for $650 on BackMarket, which is less than a new iPhone 17, and not too far off the price of an iPhone 16e!
For that money, you get a 6.3-inch ProMotion display, larger battery and a triple camera system including a 12MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom. Plus, this generation of iPhones was made with titanium, so you get that brilliant space-agey look and feel, plus extra levels of durability.
Related: iPhone 16 Pro Max review
For that price, you can’t really go wrong and it’s arguably a better deal than buying the 17 Pro Max new.
Wrapping Up
Hopefully, you’ve got some clarity now on which iPhone is the best for you after reading this guide. The main thing to always have in mind with these things is your maximum budget. That will always help to guide you in any decision you make.
More: My guide to the best phone to buy for you!
If you think you can stretch the extra to get those Pro camera features, then go for it, but if you can’t, then the standard iPhone 17 is an excellent choice and one you won’t regret.
